We have a big update for the park pass and Genie changes that are coming soon to Disney World!
Park pass changes
Since the phased reopening of the theme parks, park reservations have been required for all four theme parks. Although Disney makes more park passes available at times, it’s a good idea to secure them as soon as you book your vacation. This is especially important during busier times of the year.
When Disney implemented park passes and park hopping restrictions, the original reasoning was that it would help manage attendance due to the pandemic. Despite Disney removing every other health and safety measure, park passes and hopping restrictions remain.
At Walt Disney World, Annual Passholders will be able to visit theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation. The only exception is Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom.
Update: this change will take place on April 18, 2023!
Genie+ attraction photo downloads
In addition, Disney is adding a new complimentary offering to Guests that purchase Genie+ that might make some Guests feel this add on is an even better value! See the original story HERE.
Starting March 20, Guests purchasing Disney Genie+ will receive digital downloads of their Disney Photopass attraction photos at no extra charge! These include attractions like Space Mountain, Slinky Dog Dash, Test Track, and more.
Starting March 20, attraction photos are now included in Genie+
Are you a passholder? Do you love the idea of going to the parks without a pass? What are your thoughts on the addition of complimentary downloads of Disney Photopass attraction photos when purchasing Genie+? Does this make you more likely to use this service? Let us know in the comments below! Also be sure to share this post with a friend!
I just returned from Disney on Monday and had DAS and was able to pre-book 2 attractions without paying for Genie+
Well WDW finally priced this AP family out of 2023 passes. What a shame. We loved our 7 years..but now it’s time to say g’bye :( We are off to Universal it’s half the price.. but I don’t think the park hoping after 2 is new..we have been doing it for months..
Many Annual Pass holders have commented that there cost per day is less than $10 because they go so often as they live close by. Non-Florida residents can’t purchase an Annual Pass and pay several hundred dollars for a one week pass, but AP holders won’t have to make a reservation while others will? I can’t see how that is fair. People paying the higher price should have ‘first dibs’ and if there is space open , then let the AP people come in.
I hate the park reservations! Nothing like them telling you WHERE you can go and CHARGING more for things that use to be free. Takes the freedom out of a RELAXING FUN vacation! I feel like a puppet. When I wake up at WDW we might change our plans for the day. Cant!!!!!! Reservation system has NOT CHANGED THE CROWDS!!!!!!! When that system changes, we will be back. Someone GET ON THE STICK AND REALIZE WE ARE YOUR GUEST!!!!!!!!
I’m not paying for genie plus when I’ve already paid over 1300.00 for an annual Incredipass
I hate this reservation thing…my family loved the original fast pass & being able to go to any park without restrictions; it allowed everyone to get on the rides they wanted & then we would meet up together to eat dinner. We are not annual pass holders, but we are DVC members & go almost every year. We tried paying all that extra money for our pictures, but we lost all of them & got no money back!!!
While I do understand the points of view of the other commenters, I too remember the good times pre-Covid. However, I’m disabled and have a medical mobility scooter and a service dog and the present system does work for me. I have DAS and I purchase Genie+ every time I go which enables me to book two attractions, at different times, at one time. This can be helpful because sometimes, if the Magic Kingdom is crowded, it can take me an hour to get from the Jungle Cruise to the Haunted Mansion. I have to be very careful navigating my large, 4 wheeled, medical mobility scooter because people don’t see me and I don’t want to hurt anyone. So at this time the system works for me but I’m sure if they make more changes I’ll just adapt to whatever they are and keep enjoying my trips to the park.
That doesn’t help Florida annual pass holders that live a few hours away and have to be home in time for the school bus. My Daughter and I have been annual pass holders for MANY years. We haven’t been there for two years now. We’ve tried but the days weren’t available. We are both disabled and even if we do get there we can’t stand on long lines. We miss fast passes too. One of these days we might just give up our passes. Sad it’s come to this.
Yeah screw the people that live there because they love Disneyland and want to enjoy it regularly. ♀️
Don’t like the cost of Genie +. Should be free like the old system of fast passage
So passholders filling the park is bad unless it’s you. Everything we need to know about your opinion answered and the rest is just wasteful filler.
Fix Genie + like fast pass. More options of time and definitely not 7 am it’s horrible because you can’t properly plan meals and reservations
I hope the reservations stay in place for Disneyland in CA. The local
Passholders would just jam the parks just to go to dinner, or spend a couple hours on the “spur of the moment.” They just made it miserable for everybody, especially passholders that came from a distance and couldn’t just go back when it was less crowded.
We stopped going for a while just because of all the commotion and the garbage that Disney has instituted. I really miss it. I want to go back, but I don’t want it to be a miserable experience.
I get why people might want
go so often. It’s a wonderful place, or it used to be. I would really want to do it too, but I wouldn’t. What with the locals need to consider is that other people come from other areas, the “vacationers” as they call them. They want to enjoy their time. But it’s just horrible. The locals feel like it’s THEIR park and they have more rights than anybody else. I’ve encountered so many entitled people there!
Everyone wants to enjoy their time there, especially people who come from a distance in spent a lot of money to do it.
Agreed. Disney World operated for yrs without park reservations just fine. The crowds are terrible (just came back from there) so that’s not a legitimate excuse for keeping the park reservations around. Genie+ is a mess. I really want the people who created this disaster to have to vacation using it. Get rid of both!
Amen! And it doesn’t work nearly as well as the Fast Pass system did and you could make the reservations 60 days ahead and easily make changes!
Not good enough! Being able to go at the spur of the minute means more than having to make a reservation that did not exist for decades and worked very well. Paying a high price for passes is enough without having to pay for Genie+ or high price after hours in the park! Have you noticed on the news for sometime now that everything especially eggs are nearly out of reach. Everything has gone up in price and you want us to pay for extras to go to the parks NO THANK YOU